The AFL-CIO and affiliated unions representing federal workers applauded the introduction of the Protect America’s Workforce Act in the U.S. Senate today. The legislation would reverse two executive orders issued by President Trump and restore collective bargaining rights to federal workers.
Since Trump’s first executive order in March stripped nearly 1 million workers of their collective bargaining rights, the administration expanded the attack to include more federal agencies just before Labor Day. The administration also has begun implementing the orders by canceling the contracts of nearly 450,000 workers at the departments of Agriculture, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, and Veterans Affairs and the Environmental Protection Agency.
“Donald Trump’s executive order launched the biggest act of union-busting in our history, ripping away collective bargaining rights from a million federal workers,” said AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler. “In the months since, his administration has expanded that order and unilaterally canceled union contracts for nearly 450,000 workers. These moves are an assault on our fundamental freedoms and undercut critical services people across the country rely on.
“We commend Sens. Warner and Van Hollen, and Minority Leader Schumer for bringing the fight to overturn the Trump administration’s attack on workers to the Senate. Bipartisan momentum is already building in the House, where lawmakers are collecting the final signatures on a discharge petition to bring this bill to a vote. The labor movement looks forward to working with senators to stop the senseless assault on workers who provide essential government services to communities across America. The labor movement stands united behind this bill, and we call on every senator—Democrat, Republican and independent—to keep their promise to workers by backing this legislation.”
The Protect America’s Workforce Act was introduced today by Sens. Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Chris Van Hollen (Md.), and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.). In the House, the bill was introduced by Reps. Jared Golden (ME-02) and Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), with 221 additional co-sponsors. Organizing by the labor movement and members of Congress is also driving up signatures on a discharge petition, which will soon reach the requisite 218 to send the bill straight to the House floor.
“President Trump’s March executive order stripping most of the federal workforce of collective bargaining rights represents the single most aggressive action taken by the federal government against organized labor in U.S. history, dwarfing any previous action against public or private sector working Americans,” said American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) National President Everett Kelley. “AFGE members are grateful to Sen. Warner for introducing the Protect America’s Workforce Act and standing up for the nonpartisan civil service, the women and men who serve in it, and the critical role that collective bargaining has played for decades in fostering a safe, productive, and collaborative workplace that serves the American people.”
“Federal workers are essential to our nation’s health and well-being, and when they have the freedom to collectively bargain for safe working conditions and strong public services, we all benefit. The billionaires running this administration are hell-bent on rigging our government to line their own pockets, and silencing federal workers is how they plan to do it,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders. “We thank Sen. Mark Warner for introducing this legislation, and we urge the Senate to quickly pass this bill.”
“I thank Sen. Warner for introducing the Protect America’s Workforce Act in the Senate,” said IAM Union International President Brian Bryant. “Protecting the rights of the federal workers we represent is a priority of our union, and passage of this very important piece of legislation is key in reversing the attack on these civil servants. Federal workers are essential to the livelihood and prosperity of the U.S., and these workers rightly deserve the right of collective bargaining, which provides benefits like protections in the workplace and better service to the public.”
“IFPTE was founded in 1918 by federal workers at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard as our nation was fighting World War I. At agencies that support military readiness, advance scientific breakthroughs and space exploration, and protect communities and commerce from environmental hazards, our federal sector local unions have a long and proud history of making sure federal employees and federal agencies can succeed and serve the American public,” said International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE) President Matt Biggs. “We know full well that the Trump Administration’s Executive Orders to deny more than one million federal workers their bargaining rights on a bogus national security rationale makes this the most anti-labor, anti-worker administration in United States history. IFPTE applauds Senator Warner, Senator Van Hollen, and Leader Schumer for standing up for federal workers' union rights and for a government that works for America by sponsoring the Protect America’s Workforce Act.”
“NFFE is proud to endorse the Protect America’s Workforce Act, which will restore union rights for over one million civil servants,” said National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE-IAM) National President Randy Erwin. “The union-busting executive order signed by President Trump in March has proven to be detrimental to federal workers and the essential services they provide to the American people every day. This legislation has garnered broad bipartisan support in the House of Representatives and will surely do the same in the Senate. Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle understand that if this bill is not passed into law, their constituents will suffer the consequences. Thank you to Senator Warner and the initial cosponsors of the legislation for their leadership on this critical issue.”
“As nurses, we use our voices on the job every day to fight for safe staffing and the best possible care for our veterans,” said Irma Westmoreland, RN at the Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center in Augusta, Ga. and director of National Nurses United (NNU)’s VA division. “The Trump administration attempted to silence our voice by stripping collective bargaining rights from over a million federal workers, but we will not be silent. We thank Senator Warren for introducing the Protect America’s Workforce Act on the Senate side to restore our collective bargaining rights, and we urge the House and Senate to act quickly to pass this bill so nurses can continue advocating for the best care that veterans deserve.”
“They protect the environment, care for veterans, and support public health and education. Characterizing these workers as a national security threat in order to strip them of their union rights and protections is shameful and a gross overreach by this administration,” said Heather Conroy, executive vice president of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). The Protect America’s Workforce Act is necessary to restore their collective bargaining rights, including protection against illegal firing, discrimination or retaliation, particularly at this time in our country.”
“Federal government employees play a crucial role in public service by keeping our transportation systems safe, investigating accidents, overseeing critical weather forecasts, and providing essential supplies to the U.S. military,” said Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD) President Greg Regan. “These workers already surrender many of the rights that private-sector employees enjoy, such as the ability to negotiate wages and benefits and the fundamental right to strike. Transportation labor urges the Senate to pass the bipartisan Protect America’s Workforce Act and restore the basic collective bargaining rights of federal workers.”
Contact: Mia Jacobs, 202-637-5018